Rohnert Park Municipal Code § 17.06.460 Purposes

The purposes of the MHP Mobile Home Park Overlay District are to:

A. Recognize the importance of existing mobile home parks as a valuable city resource providing affordable housing and stable communities, protected from speculative pressures to convert to other land use types.

B. Provide appropriate areas for residential mobile home park development that are consistent with the general plan and with standards of the public health and safety as established by state or city code.

C. Ensure adequate light, air, privacy and open space for each dwelling, and protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise, population density, traffic congestion and other environmental effects.

D. Achieve design compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods and promote and encourage orderly residential development with appropriate physical amenities.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)

A mobile home park overlay district may be combined with any residential district, which allows compatible densities, by a change of district to include the overlay in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17.25, Article VII. A mobile home park overlay district shall be designated by the letters "MHP" following the residential district designation. For definitions of words and phrases refer to Chapter 17.23, Mobile Home Park Conversions.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)

A. Permitted Uses.

The following uses may be allowed in the MHP Overlay District through a site and architectural review approval:

1. Mobile home park.

2. Accessory structures and recreational facilities related to mobile home parks.

3. Living units for resident managers.

B. Conditionally-Permitted Uses.

The following uses may be allowed in the MHP Overlay District through approval of a conditional use permit:

1. Mobile home subdivision.

2. The permitted and conditionally permitted uses allowed in the underlying base zoning district.

C. Mobile home Park Conversion.

All requests to convert a mobile home park or subdivision to another land use requires a rezoning to eliminate the overlay district and compliance with the city's conversion of mobile home parks.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)

A. Project Area.

A site proposed for a mobile home park or subdivision shall be a minimum of ten acres.

B. Density and Site Area.

1. The minimum and maximum overall density of a mobile home park or subdivision shall conform to the site's general plan land use designation and the underlying base zone district.

2. Individual mobile home sites or lots shall have a minimum area of three thousand six hundred eighty square feet.

C. Site Width.

Individual mobile home sites or lots shall have a minimum width of forty-six feet.

D. Perimeter Buffer Area.

A landscaped area with a minimum width of twenty feet shall be maintained along the exterior boundaries of a mobile home park or subdivision site as a buffer between the mobile home units and the adjoining property, except when located adjacent to any public roadway, where a landscaped buffer area with a minimum width of thirty feet shall be maintained.

E. Minimum Yards.

1. Side and rear yards. A five-foot minimum setback from the outer edge of any structure or mobile home to the mobile home side or rear space or lot line shall be maintained.

2. Front yard. A fifteen-foot minimum setback from the outer edge of any structure or mobile home to the mobile home front space or lot line shall be maintained.

3. Cornices, eaves, canopies, fireplaces and other similar architectural features, but not including any flat wall or window surface, may extend up to two feet into any yard. No other encroachments shall be permitted.

F. Maximum Height.

The maximum height in the MHP Overlay District shall be twenty-five feet and structures, other than recreational facilities, shall be limited to one story.

G. Common Areas.

Common areas shall be provided within a mobile home park or subdivision for recreation and other activities. The size and type of facilities required will be based on project size and location.

H. Circulation and Parking.

All streets, access drives, parking bays and connections to public roads shall be in accordance with plans reviewed and approved by the city engineer.

1. Access.

a. All mobile home spaces shall be served from internal private streets within the mobile home park or subdivision, and there shall be no direct access from a mobile home space to a public street or alley.

b. Private streets shall have a clear and unobstructed access to a public thoroughfare.

2. Street widths.

a. The minimum width for any interior street within a mobile home park shall be no less than twenty-five feet, curb to curb, with exceptions below.

b. No interior street shall be less than thirty-two feet in width, curb to curb, if parking is allowed on one side and not less than forty feet in width if parking is allowed on both sides.

3. Pedestrian Circulation Sidewalks and pedestrian pathways shall be incorporated into the park design to allow normal circulation patterns to take place between adjacent parcels and common areas.

4. Parking. Parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 17.16, Off-Street Parking Standards.

I. Boat and Trailer Storage.

1. All pleasure boats, trailers, campers and motor coaches shall be stored in an approved area set aside for such storage.

2. Said areas shall be screened from view and shall provide a minimum of one boat or trailer space for every five mobile home sites.

3. Such storage shall not be allowed on any street or individual mobile home space.

J. Landscaping.

1. A detailed landscaping plan shall be submitted for consideration with each application for a mobile home park or subdivision, in accordance with Chapter 17.14.080, Required Landscape Plans. All open areas except driveways, parking areas, walkways, utility areas, decks, patios and porches shall be landscaped and maintained.

2. Substantial trees shall be planted throughout the mobile home park or subdivision, and one street tree, of a variety approved by the planning commission, shall be provided on each lot. Specimen trees of not less than five-gallon container size or one inch in trunk diameter shall be planted.

K. Utilities.

1. All utilities in a mobile home park or subdivision shall be installed underground.

L. Fences.

1. The approving authority may require that the park or subdivision property be enclosed at the rear and sides by a six-foot fence and/or thick screen planting for control of view, light, sound and adequate security.

2. Fences up to six feet in height may be permitted in the front setback area provided an average setback of ten feet from the street property line is observed and the area between the fence and property line is well landscaped and maintained. The height of fencing and landscaping located at intersections of streets, driveways and pedestrian walkways may be limited to provide clear lines-of site.

M. Other Standards.

Additional development standards may be prescribed as conditions of approval when such requirements are determined to be necessary to ensure the protection of the character of neighboring properties, the compatibility of land uses, and the health and safety of mobile home development occupants and other city residents.

N. Continued Maintenance.

All recreation facilities, common open spaces, common area landscaping, perimeter walls and streets/driveways established under permits approved prior to adoption of this chapter shall be maintained and repaired by management on an ongoing basis to ensure that said facilities serve the purpose intended under the original or subsequent permit approvals.

O. Signs.

1. Mobile home park or subdivision signs shall be limited to one twenty-four square foot sign per major entrance, not to exceed a height of six feet.

2. Each mobile home park or subdivision shall maintain a directory sign showing the location and house number of each unit.

3. Signs shall be subject to the permit procedures and standards set forth in Chapter 17.27, Signs, except as noted herein.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)

No building permit for a new structure or a major alteration or enlargement of an existing structure, shall be issued until the site plan and the landscape plan for the entire proposed mobile home park has been reviewed and approved by the planning commission and city council pursuant to Chapter 17.25, Article VII of this title.

The site plan shall be drawn to scale, showing the proposed layout of structures, lots, mobile home pads, and other improvements including, where appropriate, accessory buildings, boat and trailer storage areas, utilities, driveways, pedestrian walks, off-street parking for residents, managers and visitors, landscaped areas, fences, walls, and signs. The site plan shall indicate the locations of entrances and exits and the direction of traffic flow into and out of off-street parking, the location of each parking space, and areas for turning and maneuvering vehicles.

The landscape plan shall be drawn to scale, showing the locations of existing trees proposed to be retained on the site or sites, the location and design of landscaped areas and, of plant material to be planted therein, and other landscape features.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)

Mobile home parks existing at the time of adoption of this chapter shall be deemed to be nonconforming relative to the use, development, and design standards established by this chapter, and may be continued, except as otherwise provided in Chapter 17.25, Article VIII of this title.

(Ord. 695 § 3, 2003)